Crescentia sighed as she dragged her stuff along with her, having her trunk in one hand and her owl cage in the other. Her barn owl, Ira, happily chirped as they were on their way. “Have another fun year, Cres!” Her mother said, kissing Crescentia’s forehead. Crescentia had actually been early for the train, so there was a bunch of time before the train would be going off. She had woken up early and everything just to make sure she wasn’t late, and now she realized she was early. Oh, well, it would just have to work, her parents decided to leave Crescentia, not worried about anything, and this would give Crescentia time to check the Daily Prophet for more of the disappearances of the muggles and mudbloods. She knew that something was going on, even if her father wasn’t telling her anything and her mother kept saying it was nothing to worry about, there had to be something to worry about. Not all the time is the world filled with nice sweet people, there were people out there that were just the opposite, mean and sour. Yes, Crescentia was thinking along the lines of candy, that was just her way of thought, especially since she really was craving something sweet at the moment.

Cres made her way for the train getting to be one of the first ones to pick a compartment she was really excited. She set everything where they were supposed to go and then grabbed out a few things from her trunk. A few editions of the Daily Prophet that she was able to find, a bit of parchment, quill and ink, so she could do her own bit of studying. She was trying to see what was going on, by using the information in the Daily Prophet. She couldn’t really get this done with other people so right now she was doing her best to trying figure out all the Muggles and Mudbloods that were killed and how they had died, really it wasn’t anything that anybody was supposed to take as anything but serious, as they all seemed to actually be natural deaths, they were just happening a lot more than they were supposed to. She was really curious about this, and wanted to know what was going on.

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Lucian Shaner stood there looking around the place, watching everyone else swarm into the train station like cockroaches. He sighed, not really caring about going to school, he really didn’t excited about it like everyone else did. He would rather just not go at all, but still he was forced to go by his parents that were standing behind him talking to a few of the other parents. Lucian just rolled his eyes and without even a look in his parent’s direction, he walked towards the train. He nodded at a few of the people that had greeted him, but really he just wanted to get onto the train and leave. Of course things couldn’t be that easy for him, there was someone that had decided to stop him and start a conversation about the beginning of the school year.

Normally this kid would have been yelled at to get in the way, but while his parents were around and a crowd to actually see what was going on, Lucian would think better to just confront him later about this event. Lucian figured that he would find a compartment to sit in later if he was stuck listening to this person jabber on and on about what might happen this year. Lucian of course answered back as he pretended to act nice, that most people were just not used to.

Thomas walked Briskly through the crowded train station, He had traveled by himself this year well with the exception of Fenrir that was, his dog. The two had had a busy past few days getting to Europe and then getting ready for school. They were early but better early than late something his father had taught him, the daily prophet was laying on top of Fenrir's kennel the headlines talking about the strange deaths of the past few months under it was a few muggle papers talking about the deaths as well. Thomas was dressed rather nice today, looking like a miniature version of his father on bushiness trips he would have assumed. the suite he wore was black with a blue collard shirt his hair was still messy. he quickly boarded the train, not stoping to take notice to any one as he headed to the compartment he had used for the last three years. As Thomas opened the door he saw the compartment was already occupied which was a first for him, Thomas knew the girl her name was Crescentia Thomas looked at her and smiled softly.

"Any room in here for my and my dog by chance Crescentia?"

Thomas asked as he stood in the doorway waiting for a reply and observed the compartment it she had several copies of the prophet spread out talking about the deaths. It looked like perhaps he wasn't the only one interested in what was going on after all.

Alyce was always one to be late. For everything. But for once, she was actually on time. She looked at the clock, five minutes left to spare. Turning to her grandparents, who took her in when her parents were killed, she waved, bidding them adieu and stepped onto the train. Her horned owl, Lucifer, hooted meanly at her. She was in a hurry, and was swinging his cage around like crazy. "Sorry, Lucifer," she whispered to him as she looked for a compartment. Every person she saw was reading the Prophet, and she knew why, but she wasn't going to tell anyone. Her grandparents didn't even know that she was a Death Eater, and was one of the people responsible for the deaths. So she was going to school again, without her liking, and she had to keep a straight face. Without noticing Thomas, she bumped into him. "Sorry, Thomas," she said quietly. She looked in the room and saw Crescentia there. Oh, how she hated Crescentia, but she put up with her because she knew that she had to.

"Can I join you, too?" she asked. "All the other compartments are full."

Now her nerves were beginning to take over her. Oh, they're going to find out it's me, I just know it, she thought to herself. She was worried that her friends were going to figure her out, and then they would kill her. But if she kept her game face on, no one would ever know her "little" secret.

Arriving at King's Cross, the same as always, saying his goodbyes and boarding the train Jacob, dragged his trunk behind him with relative ease, magically lightening his load, which helped significantly considering his stock pile from his pre-school visit to Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. Passing compartment after compartment of younger and older students he came across once with a few familiar faces and grinned "Alyce, looking lovely as always " he nodded in her direction, she was a member of his own house at Hogwarts, Slytherin. He strolled into the compartment lifting his enchanted trunk with ease and stashing it on one of the racks overhead before taking a seat in the corner, taking an apple out of his pocket and taking a bite, chewing loudly, then turning his attention to the other two inhabitants of the compartment, "sorry, I don't recall, what were your names" he asked, not actually caring but he figured if he was spending the whole ride to school with them he might as well act pleasant. Jacob turned back to Alyce and go to his feet, "hey do you want a hand with that?" he gestured to her trunk. Despite his reputation for trouble making, he was raised with manners.

Crescentia looked at the three people, she actually thought that she would have her own compartment this year, but she guessed she was wrong. "Sure, Thomas you can come in, and so can you, Alyce." Crescentia smiled as she put her stacks of the daily prophet and everything away again. She was her same cheery self, as always, it just always fit her somehow. She never seemed to be angry, but when she was everyone better watch out, because not only did she look like she could bite your head off, she has actually been able to use her charms to do major danger. She had actually gotten made at her older brother when he was still in school and playing Quidditch, she had used the brake charm once in the middle of his game, making his broom stop right in the middle of flight and had him fly forward off of his broom. Of course after that she used Spongify that cushoned his fall so he didn't get hurt as badly, she still got in trouble afterwards and her brother had learned never to piss his sister off.

She smiled at Jacob and said "I'm Crescentia Porter." She introduced herself and looked at her owl that rustled in the cage, "And that is my owl Ira, who needs to stay in her cage!" She said pretty much talking to her owl, almost as soon as she had said that her owl quit moving around and stayed still. "Thank you." Crescentia said to her owl, and grabbed her notebook to start going over the notes she had written on the whole subject. She would love to just find out who was doing this, or who was behind this, since it seemed to only be Muggles and Mudbloods that were being killed, or dying all the time as the daily prophet says. Really, these things weren't meant to be so suspicius as it really seemed like natural deaths, or were they just disguised that way?

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"Well, I have to get on the train." Lucian said to this boy that had stopped him, making a mental note to do something later to him. Lucian turned around behind him, easily finding the black ball of fur in the crowd, that was his cat. "Come, Phantom, onto the train already." Lucian refused to keep that kitten in a kennel if that cat was able to behave itself very nicely anways. Lucian did have a kennel with him, but it was only for when Phantom got on his nerves. The cat ran right over to Lucian's side as they both boarded the train and looked for an open compartment, normally he would sit with his friends but there wasn't any room, so he didn't even try. He walked over to a compartment that had two guys and two girls in it and opened it, knowing two of them from being in his own house. "Hello, Alyce and Jacob, may I join all of you?" Lucian asked, looking at the four people in the compartment.

Seeing Jacob, she smiled widely. "Thank you, and yes, help would be lovely." QUickly, she handed his things to him and sat down. She was acting more perky than normal, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. In fact, no one really noticed. Suddenly, she felt her nerves take over her body, her stomach twisting and turning with all these stupid Daily Prophets around her. Keep a straight face, Alyce. Don't ruin this for yourself, she thought to herself. Lucifer hooted loudly at her, but she ignored him. "It's nice to meet you see you again, Crescentia." A smile crept on her face, her eyes seeming to glow softly.

Once Lucian appeared, her smiled widened, which seemed literally impossible at this point. "Lu Lu!" she exclaimed loudly, giving him a giant hug. She had a crush on the boy since year one. "It's great to see you again." Her tiny hand reached for the cat to pet her. Finally, she sat back down next to Cres and looked out the compartment window. All she wanted was to get to the school and occupy her mind until it was time for her next mission. Suddenly, the black kitten was sitting on her lap, and she was petting her subconsciously. "Is everyone excited to go back?" she asked, her soft soprano voice hanging through the tight air around them. "I know I am."

Thomas had finished putting his things away as he turned around and took his seat looking at the now almost full compartment he knew everyone in here, even if they didn't know him necessarily. Honestly he was surprised Alyce knew him by name at least in his suit, most people didn't. So who all was in this compartment beside him and Crescentia. There was Alyce Royal Calm and collected rare set for a slytherin, and she knew her way around potions. And then there was Luicus Shaner, a pure-blood gentleman of sorts although from what thomas had seen, he could be rather brutal as well. and lastly there was Jacob Laws smart and intelligent but most importantly a prankster, if the Weasley's would have had a protege it would have been Jacob for sure.

Thomas took off his jacket and stretched out, Three Slytherin and two Gryffindor could make for some interesting conversation to say the least. "My name is Thomas" he said replying to Jacob then he turned his attention over to Alyce and answered "i Guess so looking forward to quiditch and hopefully the dueling club this year." Thomas opened up his daily prophet and casually began to flip through his copy of the prophet. All the while Fenrir sat in his kennel staring at the cat that had entered the compartment with Lucian. it would be safe to say that perhaps the start of the school year wasnt going to be boring say the least.

Jake smiled and took Alyce's things, heaving them above his head and placing them on the rack next to his own trunk and then turned around to greet the other two properly after he had learned their names, when Lucian appeared at the door, Jacob had this kind of respect for Lucian, the kind you would generally show authority figures, though at the same time there was no position of power that Lucian held over Jacob and the fact that Jacob didn't really have any respect for any of the authority figures at Hogwarts.

Again Jacob rose from his seat and held out a hand to shake Lucians, though he was forced to withdraw it in order to cover his mouth in an attempt so retain his laughter as Alyce threw her arms around him and called him Lu LU.

He shook his head and cleared his throat, composing himself "Lucian" he said curtly, extending his hand again "always a pleasure"

Tanner was incredibly late, and tired, she looked at her parents and waved goodbye. getting on the train and searching for a compartment. Tanner was walking briskly, staring into each compartment slowly. Wandering if she would ever find one with a seat, she wiped a strand of brown hair away from her face. Almost dropping her cat, and her A history of magic, book, all at the same time. Finnaly she found a compartment that seemed not all that full. She poked her head in.
"any room for me?"
She asked. A look of pure tiredness on her face. She smiled warmly at the people in the compartment.

Thomas's attention turned when tanner poked her head in and asked if there was any room, He smiled back. "Of course there is room Tanner, You look like crap if you dont mind me saying what did you do spend the entire night reading something?" Thomas inquired casually as he set the prophet back on top of Fenrir's kennel and then decided it was time for a topic change. "So how was everyone's summer this year?" He asked genuinely interested, as he awaited for a reply.

Tanner rolled her eyes and sat down. petting Vennys head as he lay on her lap.
"there is nothing wrong with getting an early start on the books. Besides, we will have to read them sometime"
Said Tanner, putting away her book and smiling.
"summer as always is drab, mum wont hardly let me out of the house, paranoid that someone will find out im a witch"
she commented. Still petting the content kitten on her lap. She looked around at all her fellow students, and friends. She pulled back her hair into a lopsided bun. Waiting to hear about everybody elses summer.

Taylor had just started her third length of the carriages, and had yet to find an empty one. She considered briefly to just stand out in the corridor, but quickly found why no one else did that, since she had difficulty standing in a comfortable position without falling over. She decided she'd best gather her courage, and ask if she could sit in with another group. She walked past the carriages again, looking for okay looking people, pausing outside the carriage where some of the current Hufflepuff Quidditch team members were sitting.
"This year, I'll be playing too." She grinned to herself, imagining herself flying out on her first game, on her Comet 140. She kept walking, still looking for somewhere with an empty seat, and agreeable-looking people within. She passed the group's window once again, for the fourth time.

Thomas had noticed the girl outside walking back and fourth, He thought it looked like Taylor but he wasn't quite sure. As she passed the window to the compartment a fourth time, Thomas didn't know much about Taylor other than the fact she was a bit of a jock and she wasn't shabby on a broom either. and to top it all off she was good with her wand. "Excuse me for one second." Thomas muttered as he got up and walked over to the door and opened it as she walked by again. "Taylor, you need a place to sit, or are you just pacing for the fun of it?" Thomas asked, he wasnt even sure if the hufflepuff girl knew his name but he sure did know about her.

Taylor turned around, half looking over her shoulder. She was pretty sure she'd seen the guy around school, but his name did indeed escape her at that moment in time.
"I'm looking for a place to sit. Don't suppose there's an empty seat in there?" She explained. She racked her brain for the boy's name or anything specific about him. She vaguely remembered something about America and a dog, but she wasn't quite sure. She didn't let her thought appear on her face, showing the world an easy grin. That was because she was a little embarassed that he knew her name, but she didn't know his.

Thomas smiled back, as he responded "Of course there is a seat, just a couple others plenty of room." Thomas stepped out of the door way and smiled again. Thomas then kept the conversation going, "Well let me give you a hand with your bags, So did you have a good summer?" He asked as he offered his hand to take Taylor's bags. Thomas could see the competitor in her eyes, it was something the two of them defiantly shared in common which also meant he had to keep his game face on around her as well, but that could wait for school. for now it was about having a nice ride to Hogwarts.

"Thanks, but I can handle it." Taylor grinned amicably, as she stepped into the compartment. She put away her bags, and plonked a small cage on her lap as she sat down.
"My summer was fine." She answered, glancing briefly at the other occupants of the carriage. She vaguely remembered some, but she knew she didn't know any of them well. She fiddled with the lock on the cage, opened it, and reached her hand in. The little white blur that scrabbled up her arm to her shoulder was Dom, who then started squeeking at his owner. Taylor pretty much ignored the noise, turning her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"That's good to hear i personally couldn't wait to get back from the states and back to school, should prove to be an interesting quiditch season this year. I heard Hufflepuff has a few openings this year." Thomas said casually as he sat back down. "Well quiditch and the dueling club, hopefully they have it again this year." Thomas was enjoying a more one on one conversation at this moment and Taylor didnt seem to mind while the others in the car talked back and forth amongst each other. Thomas thought for a second as he recaled Taylor doing something unique then it hit him, "Dont you do that running thing? how did you get started in that?"

Crescentia had started flipping through one of the older daily prophets she had brought and then decided to bring it up about them. "Yeah, you know I think this year may be a bit interesting as well, of course I'm more talking about outside of hogwarts. Have any of you heard about the weird deaths happening? And how that the deaths are mostly happening to muggles and muggle borns?" Crescentia asked. She figured that if she was the only one that was noticing this it wasn't like she had anything else to lose from it. She didn't really know anyone in the compartment and if they wanted to make fun of her well then it wouldn't be the first time someone had done that. Not that she wouldn't get them back later, she wasn't going to be someone that would be pushed around even if she always acted happy and kind.

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Lucian smirked at Alyce, the hug was a normal thing and being called Lulu also was normal. Of course if anyone else called him Lulu they would find themselves hanging upside down tied to the ceiling in the dungeons in a room that wasn't used on a regular basis and hard to find. Lucian was just one of those people that got used to the nickname from Alyce because they knew each other well. He looked over at Crescentia when she brought this up and nodded "I have heard about them, I think there is something going on. Like someone is going around killing people and making it look like a regular death or accidental."

Thomas's attention shifted slightly at the mention of the killings, "Who hasn't noticed even in the states its being talked about." Thomas said as he looked back to Taylor and thought for a second to himself then answered again. "You know to make a death apear accidental in the world of magic is a talent it would take some pretty smart wizards and witches to get away with something like that without the ministry catching them." Thomas stated as he looked through the more recent prophet he had. talking about the most recent death that took place in London.

"You play quidditch?" Taylor asked conversationally. She grinned slightly at the mention of a few spots on the hufflepuff team being open this year, knowing one of them was a beater, her preferred position. She thought for a moment when he said running thing, wondering what he could mean, then snapped her fingers.
"Parkour. Yeah, I do that. I got in because I stumbled across a few older kids doing it when I was ten." She explained. That was when she tuned in with the rest of the carriage, as one of them (Christina? Christa?) mentioned the recent killings that had been going on.
"Yeah, but only recently. I can't get The Profit during the summer." She explained, scratching Dom's head absentmindedly.

Alyce remained quiet when the conversation changed to the killings, not knowing what to say next. Her eyes darted from person to person, trying not to convey her nervousness. Lucifer hooted loudly at her, and she stood up to give him some food. When she sat back down, she sat next to Lucian. Finally, she spoke. "Yeah, I've heard of them. I thought that all of the Death Eaters that weren't killed in the Battle of Hogwarts got their arse's shoved into Azkaban." She shuttered, only because the the fear that she would be there one day. "It's kind of gross if you ask me. I mean, who would really get enjoyment out of killing and making them look like an accident?" She was trying her hardest to keep her voice calm, but yet she spoke with an anger that false, an anger that she was sure the others were feeling. Her head rested onto Lucian's shoulder as she played with the hem of her shirt. Her mind was now twisting and turning with the thoughts that were filling up her head. She had hoped that she hadn't said too much to give herself away. She wasn't ready to die. At least not yet.

Jacob listened to the conversation in the compartment not really caring to join in about the discussion of the groups, individual holidays, absent minded, he just sat gazing out the window, watching the sky get gradually darker as he stroked the smooth body of his small snake which was now wrapped around his hand for the warmth.
The conversation changed to a more enticing topic. "In my opinion, there would have to be more Death eaters around. I mean to say, It was an idea shared by a lot of Wizards that Muggles were inferior, they don't necessarily have to be called 'Death Eaters' that was just the name that The Dark Lord gave them, now that he is gone, and assuming that all of his followers were sent to Azkaban, like Alyce mentioned, the killings wouldn't actually be the work of Death Eaters.. Death Eaters wouldn't exist.. But that is just an assumption, there is always the very real possibility that not all of them were caught" Jacob sat up straight and crossed his legs underneath him on his seat, suddenly wanting to be involved in the group conversation. A smug grin on his face he continued "If, and it's a pretty big if, they are a group of Death Eaters that have decided they want to keep going with The Dark Lords work in secret then clearly they aren't as smart as they think they are if they are drawing attention to themselves already.. That's just my opinion, for all I know we could have a whole new player in the game trying to make a name for themselves, That would prove to be very interesting"

"Hey, I heard somewhere they hadn't caught all the mafia yet, death eaters could happen." Taylor suggested. She still hadn't heard the whole story, only the part that was mentioned in the most recent issue of The Prophet, so she had refered to her muggle knowledge from watching a documentary that her mom had put on. She slightly hoped it wasn't overstated that she was muggleborn, since it was a bit embarassing that she was so far behind on the wizarding news, and her pride was slightly bruised at her lack of knowledge. She picked Dom up, and put him on her lap. She started scratching his back abesntmindedly again. She hoped that people would speak in more detail about what had been going on.

Crescentia had a good knowledge of both muggle and wizard things since her parents were both mudbloods, so she understood what the mafia was. She wasn't sure about the rest of the group though. She nodded at Taylor, "It's true there could still be death eaters around, but there is also the fact that maybe there were people that agreed with them but were too afraid to do something about it. I don't know, I think it is too far off, since why would people too afraid to do something start doing something now?" Crescentia replied. "I mean, just because the death eaters are gone shouldn't give other people confidence, wouldn't it just show them that it's the worst thing to do, they could end up in Azkaban or get killed." Cres shrugged.

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Lucian looked at Taylor with the most serious expression, "What the hell is a mafia?" He asked. very seriously. He had no idea about anything that muggles did. This whole mafia thing was all new to him. He couldn't figure it out what so ever, then something else came to his attention. He looked out the window, seeing that the train had finally started it's journey to Hogwarts. They would finally get there in a few hours, he would be able to have a bit of fun once they got there, something he couldn't do when he was at home. He already knew who his first target was, when he got to Hogwarts, that kid that had stopped him from getting to the train early was the one on the top of his list. He was sure to think of some plan before he got off the train.